Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship Business Plan Competition 2024

Are you a student entrepreneur with a startup idea? Are you looking for a platform to pitch your idea, receive feedback and advance your startup? Look no further than the Rice Business Plan Competition (RBPC). RBPC is an intense, immersive experience that allows student startup founders to pitch to investors, receive multiple rounds of feedback and advance their startup over the course of three days. It is an opportunity to showcase your business plan, meet mentors, gain real-world experience and attract investment opportunities.

RBPC is open to student-driven, student-created and/or student-managed companies from a college or university anywhere in the world. The competition is divided into four sectors: Life Science, Energy/Clean Technology, Technology and Other Innovations. Teams must choose one sector/category for their companies and may choose a second sector/category, though it is optional and not required. It is important to choose the sector/category that best aligns with your company’s product, technology, system or mission.

There will be over $1 million in prizes, and all 42 teams who compete at Rice University in Houston are guaranteed to win cash prizes. The minimum cash prize is $500 and the grand prize winner receives a $300,000 investment (typically in the form of a convertible debt note, without geographic restrictions.) To be eligible, your startup must have at least two current student founders or management team members, and at least one of those students must be a current graduate degree-seeking student. Your startup must also not have raised more than $250,000 in equity capital prior to July 1, 2023, or generated revenue of more than $100,000 in any 12-month period prior to July 1, 2023. If your startup meets all these requirements, then it appears eligible for the competition.

The application deadline for the RBPC is January 31, 2024. If you are interested and qualified, you can apply at Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship at riceuniversity.zoom.us. Don’t miss this opportunity to take your startup to the next level!